HEAD OF SCHOOL

Catrin is a dynamic educator, with more than two decades of experience in teaching, experiential education, business management and leadership. She worked in the Outdoor Education Program with the North Vancouver School District for 15 years, and then completed her AMI Montessori Elementary training in 2013, teaching in Lower and Upper Elementary. With a formidable wealth of experience, Catrin is uniquely positioned to effectively lead our faculty, enhance curriculum and strengthen enrichment programming, from music and arts to athletics.

DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL OPERATIONS

Chrissy is originally from Ontario and moved to the Sea to Sky corridor over 20 years ago.  She graduated from Georgian College with a Hotel and Resort Operations degree. She worked many years in hospitality, sales, and marketing before moving to education. She has spent the past six years working at Mamquam Elementary School in a similar role and brings with her a wealth of knowledge in school operations.  
She has two children and is passionate about the outdoors, skiing, swimming, and traveling. She is thrilled to join the Skyridge community.

DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY EDUCATION

Heather comes to Skyridge with more than 10 years of Montessori teaching experience and we’re excited to tap in to her extensive knowledge, as we develop and deliver our new Casa Program. She is a gifted educator; warm, kind, and highly qualified to lead and deliver a strong Montessori Casa Program. Heather loves the outdoor lifetsyle in Squamish and you’ll often see her riding the local trails with her family. Her two children attend Skyridge, the youngest in Lower Elementary and oldest in Upper Elementary.

DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

Colleen’s Montessori education began as a baby in Spokane, Washington, crawling around her mother’s Upper El classroom and she continued her Montessori schooling to the 6th grade. She completed her undergrad at the University of Portland, then volunteered as a teacher in Ecuador. Upon returning to the U.S., Colleen obtained her AMI certificate and completed her Masters in Education at Loyola.  She taught in both Lower and Upper Elementary classrooms for 5 years before moving to Squamish. Colleen has been part of the Skyridge Montessori community for six years and her two young boys attend Casa.

CASA PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Brittney-Ann was raised in Squamish and graduated from the Early Childhood Education program at Capilano University. She owned and operated a home daycare for more than 12 years and is also the Regional Figure Skating Coach with Skate sea2Sky. Brittney-Ann has two children and enjoys watching her kids in sports and playing SloPitch and golf.

CASA PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Maria, originally from Slovakia, grew up loving the outdoors. She earned a Kindergarten teacher diploma by 18 and taught in Germany, England, and Canada. After becoming a Canadian citizen and completing a Destination Resort Management Diploma, she returned to education, inspired by her children’s Waldorf and Montessori experiences. Maria has worked at a North Vancouver daycare and Squamish Waldorf School and is now excited to join Skyridge Montessori.

CASA PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Balwinder has been a resident of Squamish for over 26 years and is a devoted mother of three children. With a deep passion for working with children and supporting their growth, she is truly excited to connect with both staff and parents within the community. Balwinder brings extensive experience from the Montessori community, where she has developed a strong understanding of child-centered learning, nurturing environments, and collaborative education. Her knowledge, dedication, and warm approach bring valuable insight and care to our program.

CASA PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Janeth, originally from the Philippines, obtained a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with a focus on Physical Science. She taught high school Science in the Philippines for three years before relocating to Squamish in 2019 for a job as a home childcare provider, a role she has held for four years. Presently, she is employed as a Call Custodian in School District 48 since 2022. Her interests include various outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, badminton, paddle boarding, road biking, mountain biking, and running. She has a passion for indoor plants and enjoys reading books on business.

LOWER EL TEACHER

Esmé grew up in Whistler and has called the Sea to Sky region ‘home’ her entire life.She volunteered in elementary schools in West Vancouver and Whistler before accepting a position at Skyridge Montessori as an Assistant. After three years, learning from Catrin Webb, Esmé decided to become a teacher and recently completed her AMI Elementary Diploma at Montessori Northwest. She also has a Behaviour Intervention Certificate from Douglas College. With a wealth of education and experience, we’re pleased to welcome Esmé back as a teacher!

LOWER EL TEACHER

Born and raised in Belgium, Joris discovered a love for the mountains very early in life, so much so that he has been in the Sea to Sky area for the past 12 years. After spending many years working in the hospitality industry, he found a great interest in teaching outdoor education. As a mountain bike, ski and snowboard instructor, he particularly enjoys working with children of the Elementary age. Fascinated by their many questions as to the how’s and why’s of life, he decided to pursue a career as a Montessori Elementary teacher. Joris is completed his studies in Bergamo, Italy, where Maria Montessori first started her Elementary courses!

LOWER EL ASSISTANT

Kate moved to Squamish from South East England over 13 years ago. She has worked as an Early Childhood Educator for the past six years, with children all over Squamish, including Garibaldi Highlands, Brackendale and Mamquam preschools, as well as downtown childcare programs. Kate is an active member of our local community, volunteering in schools and raising considerable funds for the Canadian Cancer Society, Squamish General Hospital, local families in need and Squamish Women’s Centre. She is a mom of two boys and one girl and enjoys hiking with her two rescued dogs.

LOWER EL ASSISTANT

After completing a bachelor’s degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Danielle worked while traveling the world and living in places such as New Zealand and Mexico. Danielle has lived in Squamish for 3 years now working as an Education Assistant, French teacher and gymnastics coach. She is passionate about sports like mountain biking, snowboarding, swimming, and gymnastics. 

UPPER EL TEACHER

Born and raised in Squamish, Amanda is well-known and loved by many local children! She has been working with ages 3 to 13 for more than 12 years with Broadway or Bust, doing choreography and directing, and as an Assistant with Skyridge Montessori. She has a degree in Liberal Arts from Capilano, holds AMI and MACTE Montessori Teaching certifications and is a certified Royal Academy of Dance teacher. Last year, Amanda completed the Montessori Model United Nations certification and is looking forward to leading MMUN at our school.

UPPER EL TEACHER

Danielle, originally from the Upper Squamish Valley, recently returned after 12 years teaching in Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver. A Simon Fraser University and OISE graduate, she has 10+ years in IB schools, is a certified ECE, and has completed Montessori training. A mother of two, Danielle loves hiking, snowboarding, and mountain biking. She’s excited to bring her passion for inquiry, the outdoors, and gardening to Skyridge!

UPPER EL ASSISTANT

Jessica, a Squamish native, began her journey focusing on children by volunteering as a softball coach years ago. For over a decade, she has been an Assistant at Casa, enjoying the lively and joyful environment with preschoolers. Transitioning to the elementary program, Jessica brings a wealth of knowledge, excelling as a web designer and being a parent to a child in the Skyridge Casa Program. An interesting tidbit about her is that she traveled the world on Rihanna’s plane! 

CASA PROGRAM TEACHER

Mélanie grew up in France and moved to BC in October 2017. Being active and outside has always been something important to her and she always wants to share this with the children. After  completing her Masters in Sport Sciences, she became a sports teacher for young kids, first in a primary school and then in different sports companies. Between Whistler and Squamish, she worked as a tennis/sport instructor, afterschool leader, forest exploration educator and in a daycare. Spending her free time mountain biking and trail running, she is grateful to be part of this community.

ADOLESCENT PROGRAM TEACHER

Rebecca is very much looking forward to being back in the classroom with adolescents in February. She has lived in Squamish for the past five years. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys the area’s beautiful granite walls and moss-covered forests. Rebecca has taught students aged 12–17 in a variety of settings, from a travelling climbing school to a university prep school and forest schools. She welcomes any questions or connections from parents.

ART EDUCATOR LEAD

Sian relocated from the UK to Canada in 2016. She has over 13 years of experience supporting children with learning difficulties in elementary schools. She has developed a passion for exploring the best ways children can access their potential, giving attention to their individual needs. In 2010 Sian gained Higher Level Teaching Assistant status, allowing her to teach whole classes in the UK. Putting her art–based education and degree to use, Sian also enjoys sharing these skills and techniques with children.

CASA PROGRAM ASSISTANT
Kaci is very much looking forward to continuing her work in early childhood education. She has been an Early Childhood Educator since 2018 and completed her diploma at Capilano University. Having grown up in Squamish, she brings a strong appreciation for outdoor, hands-on learning into her teaching practice. She is dedicated to creating a calm, nurturing environment where children feel safe, supported, and encouraged to explore. Kaci values play-based learning, curiosity, and meaningful experiences that allow each child to grow at their own pace.
Outside the classroom, she enjoys playing soccer and slo-pitch, exploring local trails, and spending time at the pump track with her son, Bodie.

CASE MANAGER & GARDENING PROGRAM LEAD

Julie is a creative educator with over a decade of experience supporting diverse learners in Lower Mainland schools. She holds a diploma in Classroom & Community Support from Douglas College and is committed to fostering inclusive, engaging learning environments with patience, attentive listening, and a sense of humour.
She also holds a Culinary Arts diploma from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, a School Gardens certificate from Trillium Montessori, and has completed the Home Gardening Series through the Vancouver Chapter of the B.C. Master Gardeners Association. Julie enjoys bringing this knowledge into the classroom, enriching student learning through hands-on culinary and gardening experiences. Outside of work, she loves hiking, camping, gardening, and solving puzzles.

UPPER ELEMENTARY ASSISTANT

Robin has always been passionate about working with children, driven by curiosity and a love of learning. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services, with concentrations in Psychology and Sociology. Her career has taken her abroad, including teaching English in South Korea, where she became Head of the Program and trained teachers, with further study in Japan.

Back in Canada, she helped manage a dance studio in Calgary, teaching students of all ages, finding particular joy in working with young children. After moving to Squamish to be closer to family, she returned to early childhood education, earning her ECE certificate. With experience in both preschool and Education Assistant roles, she is grateful to be part of the Skyridge Montessori community.

FRENCH TEACHER K-GRADE 9
Born in China and raised in Montréal, Québec, she brings a multicultural perspective and a strong appreciation for language into the classroom. She holds a Bachelor of Education in Preschool and Elementary Education from McGill University and has been teaching since 2020. With experience in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, she developed an inquiry-based, child-centered approach focused on holistic development, values that align closely with Montessori education. She creates an engaging and supportive environment where students are encouraged to explore language through curiosity, creativity, and meaningful connection.

Outside the classroom, her ideal day starts in a campervan with mountain views, followed by time spent rock climbing and pushing her limits.

STUDENT SUPPORT

Courtnay was born and raised in Squamish and enjoys making the most of everything the community has to offer. She has been working as an Education Assistant since 2020 and joined Skyridge Montessori in August 2025 as part of the elementary team.

She was drawn to Skyridge Montessori while planning for her son’s educational journey. The Montessori approach strongly resonated with her, inspiring her to become part of the community and further explore this style of learning herself.

STUDENT SUPPORT & PHYSICAL EDUCATION LEAD

Lauren has worked with children for most of her career, in daycares and as a nanny. She has completed an Education Assistant certificate with Okanagan College and many child development courses. When not in the classroom, you’ll find Lauren exploring her passion for fitness and the outdoors and you may see her hiking local trails, with her dog Millie!

ADOLESCENT PROGRAM TEACHER

Alina has been living in Squamish since early November. She is originally from southern Germany and moved here with her husband and their two dogs. She has ten years of teaching experience, having worked with children aged 10 to 16 in Germany. She looks forward to working with your children.